Workshop Report Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources: Challenges, Tools and Perspectives Sharing the Canadian, Mexican and American Experiences May 10–11, 2016 Room VND-1853, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, 1050 de la Médecine Ave. Laval University, Quebec City, Canada Table of contents Organizers ............................................................................................................................................4 Background ..........................................................................................................................................4 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................5 List of Participants ...............................................................................................................................6 Executive summary ..............................................................................................................................8 • The opening session ...................................................................................................................8 • Summary of presentations and discussions ..............................................................................8 Preamble ............................................................................................................................................11 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................11 Opening ..............................................................................................................................................12 The Three Sisters Project ...................................................................................................................14 • The Three Sisters Project: Context, Objectives and State of Progress ...................................14 Access and Study of Seeds and Knowledge Belonging to Communities ........................................16 • The Importance of Genetic Resources and Knowledge Preserved by Indigenous People and Communities for Food Security ..........................................................16 • Contributions of Researchers and Communities to a Research Framework Involving Indigenous People and Presentation of Practical Tools ............................................18 The Role of Native Indigenous Communities of Mexico in the Access of Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing .......................................................23 Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Development Programs ...................................................27 Examples of Indigenous Food Products Projects .............................................................................27 • Value Creation from Non-Timber Forest Products. The Example of Labrador Tea Extract Production ...................................................................27 • Development of a Hominy Corn Production Process Based on Ancestral Methods ..............29 • The Three Sisters Project: Products’ Characteristics and Potentials ......................................30 2 Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources: Challenges, Tools and Perspectives Sharing the Canadian, Mexican and American Experiences Conservation and Utilization Strategies Within the Community (In Situ) ...........................................33 • In Situ Conservation and Participatory Breeding of Cacao with Indigenous Communities of the Soconusco Region in Chiapas, Mexico ...................................................33 • In Situ Conservation Strategies and Participatory Breeding of the Milpa in Oaxaca, Mexico ................................................................................................36 • Complementary Conservation and Utilization of Traditional Crops in Ecuador .......................39 • Testimonies on the Conservation and Utilization Within the Community (In Situ) ...................41 Highlights of the First Day ..................................................................................................................42 Conservation and Utilization Strategies (Ex Situ) ..............................................................................43 • Summary of the First Day .........................................................................................................43 • The USDA/ARS National Plant Germplasm System and US Native American Tribal Nations ...................................................................................44 • Ex Situ Germplasm Conservation by Plant Gene Resources of Canada as a Complement to On-Farm Conservation in Indigenous Agriculture ..................................48 • Conservation Ex Situ in Mexico ................................................................................................53 Round Table Discussion: Conditions of Success for the Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Crop Plant Diversity ......................................................56 Closing Remarks ................................................................................................................................60 Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources: 3 Challenges, Tools and Perspectives Sharing the Canadian, Mexican and American Experiences Organizers • PROCINORTE/NORGEN Taskforce on Genetic Resources (Axel Diederichsen, Peter Bretting, José Fernando De La Torre, Audia Barnett) • Legal Research Chair in Food Diversity and Security, Laval University (Geneviève Parent, Marie-Ève Buist) • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – AAFC (Stéphane Gariépy, Thomas Burelli) Background In February 2015, the NORGEN Taskforce on Genetic Resources decided to make Indigenous people and agriculture a topic for a NORGEN WebEx meeting entitled “First Nations and Agrobiodiversity” that was held in November 2015. AAFC Quebec colleagues leading the “Three Sisters Project,” which started earlier that year, also participated in the meeting. The PROCINORTE Secretary contacted the Legal Research Chair in Food Diversity and Security of Laval University, which resulted in a plan to organize a joint workshop since all three groups have an interest in the matter and come from different perspectives: genetic resources, food security, and agricultural economic and legal aspects. A special effort was also made to have representation from Indigenous people at the workshop, because they are the ones who historically developed, and in many cases also preserved, the genetic resources and associated knowledge for the benefit of future generations. 4 Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources: Challenges, Tools and Perspectives Sharing the Canadian, Mexican and American Experiences Objectives OVERALL OBJECTIVE The overall objective was to bring together key stakeholders from the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Indigenous people, involved in conservation and the utilization of diversity in crop plants, with a particular emphasis on crops relevant to Indigenous agriculture. The participants included individuals from government and non-governmental organizations, universities and seed savers. They were invited to share information and to develop the complementarity of each other’s activities to improve food security, the economy and ecological resilience. KEY OBJECTIVES To increase understanding of the status and of the importance of Indigenous plant genetic resources for food security: • E laborate the important role of the diversity of cultivated plants for food security and the central role local communities play in their conservation and utilization; • Consider the resilience of local communities by understanding the roles of seed keepers and Indigenous food product projects; • Look at local communities, their know-how and technical expertise; • R ecognize the access and benefit-sharing aspects when it comes to plant genetic resources and the rights of local communities. To present the Canadian Three Sisters project and share Canadian, Mexican and American experiences in conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources: • Understand the context and the objectives of the Three Sisters project; • S hare insights among those attending the workshop, and share knowledge about other projects throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico; • Explore strategies to enhance synergies for conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources; • Identify possible obstacles that affect such projects; • Discuss access and benefit sharing aspects affecting such projects. To develop suggested next steps: • Id entify possible projects on Indigenous plant genetic resource conservation and utilization in Canada, the United States and Mexico. To reflect on information and communication strategies to maintain interactions within and among Canada, Mexico and the United States on the subject of conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources involving Indigenous communities. Conservation and Development of Ancestral/Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources: 5 Challenges, Tools and Perspectives Sharing the Canadian, Mexican and American Experiences List of Participants Moderator • Linda Collette, Former Secretary of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Speakers • Flavio Aragón